


A Heart for a Heart

by arochilton



Category: Night at the Museum (2006 2009)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soul Bond, Jed in denial, Jedediah Smith's Big Gay Crisis, M/M, Octavius cannot possibly get any gayer, Soulmate AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-29
Updated: 2014-12-29
Packaged: 2018-03-04 03:44:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2908103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arochilton/pseuds/arochilton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jedediah and Octavius are sworn enemies. They come from different eras, different places, different people. They believe this with their whole beings. That is, until their hands touch and they are branded with the mark revealing that the two are soulmates.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Heart for a Heart

**Author's Note:**

> This story begins during the first Night at the Museum film, but will expand into definitely the second and possibly the third.

“You can do better than that, you undergrown toga-wearing rattlesnake!” Jed yelled, wielding his rifle, which was nearly bigger than him, and using its side to whack Octavius in the arm. The rest of the miniatures were tussling around them, some trying to fight off multiple others at once, but Jed and Octavius were at it alone, attempting to settle the quarrel among their people and with each other.

“How dare you!” Octavius shot back, trying to grab hold of Jedediah’s neck. The little cowboy danced out of the way just in time, his bright blue eyes flashing as he stared down the other man.

“There’s only one way to settle this, partner,” Jed declared, his mouth crooking upwards as he removed his beloved leather gloves, stowing them in the pocket of his slacks for the time being. “We arm wrestle.”

Octavius rolled his eyes but readied himself. He had never arm wrestled before, per say, but he got the gist of the idea. He hadn’t much time to contemplate, but he knew he was probably stronger. He was a Roman general, skillfully and properly trained. Meanwhile, Jedediah spent his days on horseback commanding mini explosions and railroad deals.

“I’ll knock those sissy stockings off your skinny thighs!” Jed was rambling now, making unnecessary and increasingly stranger comments. He wasn’t exactly angry, but he did have a tendency to run his mouth when he was agitated. “You’re going down, you drape-clad weasel!”

“If you say so,” Octavius retorted.

They grasped hands, both preparing to exhibit all their strength in a battle for friction. However, what overcame both little men was a shared burning sensation that started in their palms and shook them to their very cores. It seared through Jed’s hand, hotter than the sun but not painful. In a panic, Jed withdrew his hand as if he’d touched a burning fire, a little yelp escaping his mouth as he did so. He looked down at his hand in confusion and awe. At first, he wasn’t entirely sure what happened. Then, all too suddenly, he realized the reason for the agonizing sting that had shot through his hand.

There, branded on his palm, were two black interlocking circles: the soulmate mark.

Jed looked up at Octavius, who was also peering at his hand.

“No,” the Roman was muttering to himself. “No, it can’t be.”

“You’re right, it can’t,” Jed’s tone was filled with astonishment, his voice low. “But it is.”

“How?” Octavius pressed two fingers to his own palm, tracing the circles.

“Nobody really knows how, do they?” Jed replied. “But it’s clear we can’t be fightin’ anymore, ain’t it?”

Octavius looked up at him. “I suppose so.”

They both knew how it worked. When one brushed hands with their soulmate for the first time, the circles branded on their flesh represented the bond itself and sprouted a mental connection as well. Weak at first, this almost telepathic energy between persons would grow into an empathetic bond, allowing those involved to feel, think, and act along with the other.

Jed didn’t understand completely, and he was hesitant to comply to the system too soon. After all, finding out he was bonded to his sworn enemy? It all seemed like an increasingly horrid coincidence of the cruel hand of fate.

“Why have we been fighting all this time?” Jed asked Octavius, racking his brain for a clear answer.

“Expansion?” Octavius offered. “We want your land, you want our land kind of thing?”

Jed shrugged noncommittally. “It seems like we fight because we have nothing better to do.” He didn’t want to rush into things, but at this point, he was not entirely sure what to do. He still felt bitter towards Octavius, and he didn’t see himself moving on from this resentment anytime soon.

“I suppose one could make that argument,” Octavius decided after several seconds’ silence.

“It don’t make any sense,” Jed decided, shaking his head. “Why the two of us?”

The sound of hollers and yells around them continued as the miniatures kept on fighting, making quite a ruckus in the large room. The two leaders were more or less oblivious to the spectacle around them. Unfortunately, they were also too deep in thought to notice when Larry entered the room.

“Woah, woah!” Larry started, already frantic and a bit out of breath. “Jed! Octavius! What is going _on_ in here? You’re just standing there! Why haven’t you stopped them? They’re tearing each other apart!”

Jed opened his mouth to reply, but Larry cut him off.

“I trusted you both to keep things under control!” The nightguard was getting more annoyed by the second. “I thought you would—wait, what’s on your hand?”

Jed had pulled his hand back a little too quickly and Larry had, unfortunately, caught sight of the black marks there. As if admitting defeat, the cowboy held his hands in the air.

Larry’s face was struck by the careful pertinence of realization as he looked from Jed to Octavius and back to Jed.

“Woah. The two of you,” Larry started, letting out a long breath. “Who would’ve thought?”

“That is what we were just discussing,” Octavius told him.

“I hadn’t even realized that the exhibits could—“ Larry began. “I mean, that…” his voice trailed off. Jed knew what he was thinking. How could the soulmate bond work on figurines that were brought to life every night solely because of a magic tablet?

The sound of fighting around them had turned into a dull minimum as many of the cowboys and soldiers began to realize the events unfolding now that Larry was in the room. Jed felt an uncharacteristic blush creep to his cheeks, and he noticed a telltale red flush on Octavius’s face as well. God, they weren’t even able to be alone to discuss this.

“Well, half the museum is running amuck, and I’ve got exactly—“ Larry glanced at his watch. “Two hours to calm everyone down and start cleaning up. I’ll leave you two alone for now. Try and, uh, control your little buddies, please. And if you don’t see me back here tomorrow night, blame the Huns.”

And with that, the nightguard exited the Hall of Miniatures and Jed and Octavius were left alone with their respective exhibit companions staring at them.

Suddenly, Jed couldn’t take it anymore. He hated the Romans, hated Octavius, hated the stupid circles engraved in his flesh. None of it made sense, and he didn’t want it to make sense. He just wanted to rid himself from this situation. Begrudgingly, he pulled his leather gloves back on.

“If you think this changes anything, you’re dead wrong, amigo,” he spat at Octavius, and turned on his heel to enter the Western exhibit.

“Jedediah, wait!” Octavius called, but the cowboy had already slammed the door of a building shut, locking himself away from what something called destiny had decided for his future.

**Author's Note:**

> Please bear in mind that it's been four years since I've written any of these characters or this setting, and it's taking a while to get back into it. However, I am enjoying every minute of it.
> 
> To get you into the Jedtavius mood, here is an 8tracks mix for them: http://8tracks.com/ajcas/i-ain-t-quittin-you


End file.
